Conveyer for ovens



Dec. 4, 1945. G. J. DAWNl 2,390,075

CONVEYER FOR OVENS Filed Sept. 2, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet WW l I IN VEN TOR.

ArraP/vfys u Bk www De 4, 1945- G. J. DAWN 2,390,075

CONVEYER FOR OVENS Dec. 4, 1945. G. J. DAWN coNvEYER EOR ovENs Filedsept. 2, 1944` 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

/7 TTOENEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1945 CONVEYER FOR OVENS George J. Dawn,Waukegan, Ill., assgnor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey Application September 2, 1944, Serial No.552,506

` 3 Claims. (Cl. 198-134) The present invention relates to conveyers forovens in which freshly coated sheets and the like are dried by heat andcooling treatments and has particular reference to devices formaintaining the sheets against shifting to prevent their being pinchedbetween the links when the conveyer passes around a curved path oftravel.

Conveyers forY ovens are usually of the link chain type having upwardlyextending wickets for l supporting the coated sheets in an uprightposithis type of chain the links spread apart when passing around acurved path of travel, such as around a sprocket, and the sheetssometimes slip into the space between the spread links and becomepinched. This damages the sheet so that it cannotbe automatically fedfrom a stack for subsequent operations.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming this difculty by providinga guard'on the conveyer which covers the space between the links of theconveyer chain and thus prevents the sheets from slipping into the spaceand becoming pinched.

An object of the invention is the provision of an oven conveyer chaincarrying sheet supporting wickets having sheet protecting guards wherein the sheets on the conveyer are maintained inv a predeterminedposition to prevent pinching of the sheets between the links of thechain when they pass around a curved path of travel.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of an oven conveyer having sheetsupporting wickets embodying the instant invention, with parts brokenaway;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along thevertical line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the conveyer anda portion of a wicket, with parts broken away.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings disclosea conveyer A of the type used in lithograph drying ovens and the like.The conveyer carries a plurality of wickets B having cross bars C andupwardly extending prongs D for supporting freshly coated'sheets E in anupright on-edge position for passage through the oven.

4The conveyer A includes a pair of spaced and parallel endless chains IIwhich are connected transversely `by the cross bars C of the wickets B.The chains II preferably are of the roller link type and operate overdriving and idler sprockets I2 located at the opposite ends ofthe oven.At spaced intervals along the chains, rollers I3 are provided whichtravel on guide rails I4 which maintain the chains in a horizontalposition.

The inner links of the chains II are formed with slightly rearwardlyinclineduprght tongues I6 of rectangular cross section which extend upthrough slots I1 formed in the wicket cross bars C and thus'carry thewickets. VA cotter pin I8 in a-hole in the upper ends of each tongueholds the wickets in place.

The inner links of the chains II are further formed with flat arcuateshaped or curved lugs I9 which engage against the edges of the adjacenttongues I6 and thus support the chains against sagging between therollers I3. Notches 2I formed in the lugs adjacent the base of thetongues receive and support the lower edge of the sheets resting againstthe wickets.

With this construction of conveyer the links of the chains pivot as theypass around a curved path of travel, as when passing over the sprockets,and thus the lugs I9 move away from the tongues I6 and leave a spacetherebetween. Provision is made for preventing the sheets from slippingout of the notches 2I in the links and falling down into this spacebetween the lugs and the tongues where they would become pinched anddamaged. This prevention is brought about by a guard 25 which preferablyis secured to the cross bar C of the wickets. For some types ofconveyers it may be secured directly to the prongs or to other parts ofthe wicket or the guard may be a part of the chain links if desired.

'I'he guard 25 preferably is made of sheet metal and in general issubstantially triangular in shape and hollow .with a U-shaped crosssection, as best shown in Fig. 3. There is one of these guards for eachlug I9 and each guard is secured to the next adjacent wicket. The baseof the guard (designated 26) is open and telescopes over the curvedupper edge of the lug. A rearwardly ydisposed edge or wall 21 of theguard is closed and near its base a clearance notch 28 is formed forreception of the curved upper edge of the lug I9, the sides of the guardextending down adjacent the sides of the lug in overlapping telescopingrelation.

With this form of guard 25 the upper curved edges of the lugs I9 arealways covered so that the lower edge of the sheet resting on theconveyer is confined within its notches 2l in the chain links. If theedge of a sheet becomes dislodged from its notches as when beingdischarged from the conveyer or is not properly inserted in its notch aswhen entering the conveyer, it can only ride on the curved edge of thelugs I9 and is prevented by the closed rear wall 21 of each of theguards 25 from slipping off to a position between the links. This isespecially true when the links pivot on each other as when passingaround the sprockets. It is during this curved portion of the travel ofthe links that the lugs I9 move away from the tongues to form a spacebetween them, as hereinbefore mentioned,

but since the guards 25 extend over the lugs at -1 all times, the spacebetween the links is bridged by the guards and hence the inner supportededge of the sheet is prevented from entering the space and is therebyprevented from becoming pinched or otherwise damaged between the links.1

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and itwill beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacricing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. A conveyer for an oven for treating coated sheets, comprising incombination, a chain of links, each of said links having a lug forsupporting a coated sheet on edge, a wicket mounted on each of saidlinks for supporting said sheets in an upright position, and a guard oneach of said wickets, said guards extending in telescoping relation overthe adjacent lugs on said chain for maintaining the sheets on the lugs,thereby preventing pinching of the sheets between the lugs when thechain passes around a curved path of travel.

2. A conveyer for an oven for treating coated sheets, comprising incombination, a chain of links, each of said links having a curved lugfor supporting a coated sheet on edge, each said lug engaging itsadjacent link for maintaining the chain against sagging, a wicketmounted on each of said links for supporting said sheets in an uprightposition, and a hollow triangular guard having a U-shaped cross sectionon each of said wickets with the base of said guards disposed adjacentsaid lugs, said guards extending over said lugs in telescoping relationfor maintaining the sheets on the lugs thereby preventing pinching ofthe sheets between the lugs when they move away from their adjacentlinks in passing around a curved path of travel.

3. A conveyer for an oven for treating coated sheets, comprising incombination, a chain of links, each of said links having a lug forsupporting a coated sheet on edge, a wicket cross bar having upwardlyextending prongs mounted on each of said links for supporting saidsheets in an upright position, and a guard on each of said wicket crossbars, said guards extending adjacent the lugs on said chain inoverlapping relation for maintaining the sheets on the lugs therebypreventing pinching of the sheets between the lugs when the chain passesaround a curved path of travel.

GEORGE J. DAWN.

